# Gloss vs Give River

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Give River at 100% against Gloss's 53%. Give River also leads on monetization model (free vs subscription) and rating (5.0 vs 4.6). Gloss's advantage is ratings volume (623 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Gloss sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Give River sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Give River holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Gloss has 623 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 53% of Gloss's written reviews are positive against 100% of Give River's.

Gloss ships an update every 10 days, Give River every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Gloss | Give River |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (623 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gloss-save-formulas-and-clients/id1212498579/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/give-river/id6444336499/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **623** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 53.1% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 10 days | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free** |
| Size | 62 MB | 222 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.4 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Rentroom Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1844911345) | [Give River Association](https://appshunter.io/developer/1643131634) |

## What reviewers say

### Gloss

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gloss-save-formulas-and-clients/id1212498579)

This app helps hair colorists and stylists manage client information and save hair color formulas. It allows for easy client import, photo capture, and communication, streamlining salon operations for professionals.

**Highlights:** Save color formulas, Manage client details, Import/add clients, Snap appointment photos, Track client charges, Contact clients, Set birthday reminders

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Gloss | $3.99 | per month |
| Gloss | $35.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Data restoration
- 👍 Great customer service
- 💡 Useful for hairstylists and nail techs
- 🚀 Efficient app
- 👍 Easy to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Lost data and formulas
- 🐛 Glitchy updates
- 🐛 Freezing and crashing issues
- 🐛 Compatibility issues
- 💰 Subscription-based model

**Reported bugs**

- Incorrect date and time stamps after updates
- Inability to access client data and formulas after updates
- Login and account access issues
- Syncing and data loss problems

**Requested features**

- Ability to edit client names and delete clients
- Improved note formatting and display
- Ability to print or export formulas
- Support for multiple currencies
- Android app version


### Give River

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/give-river/id6444336499)

This platform fosters a positive workplace culture by encouraging gratitude, gamified recognition, and charitable giving. It helps build happier, healthier, and more productive teams through unique development programs and impact tracking.

**Highlights:** Gamified team building and recognition, Peer-to-peer appreciation, Charitable donations tied to recognition, Performance and culture analytics, Personal and professional growth modules, HRIS integration

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Starter pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Regular pack | $4.99 | one-time |
| Diamond package | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Gloss free?

Gloss is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Give River free?

Give River is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Gloss or Give River?

Give River is rated higher. Gloss averages 4.6 out of 5 from 623 ratings, while Give River averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Gloss or Give River have ads?

Neither Gloss nor Give River shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Gloss or Give River?

Gloss ships an update every 10 days, and Give River every 8 days. Most recently, Gloss was updated on November 6, 2026 and Give River on November 3, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*